"Google Commences Cookie Phase-Out in Chrome, Impacting 30 Million Users and Advertisers"

Google Chrome is set to begin blocking third-party cookies for 1% of its users starting January 4, with plans to expand this to all users by the end of 2024. This move, aimed at enhancing user privacy, follows similar actions by other major browsers but has been delayed multiple times. While third-party cookies have been used for both benign and invasive tracking purposes, Google is developing new tools, such as the Topics API, to balance privacy with the needs of advertisers and content providers. The gradual rollout reflects Google's cautious approach to reforming web tracking without disrupting the online advertising ecosystem.